


Married

by ximeria



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Christmas, First Time, Fluff, Frottage, Holidays, Humor, M/M, Romance, So Married, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-11
Updated: 2004-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-22 14:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/239263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the end, it's so much easier than you thought it would be</p>
            </blockquote>





	Married

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Nicci, for cheering me on, to the heartsisters for going 'awww, warm fuzzies' and to my Mac, who needed a little pickme up, and since I can't give her a hug, I had to settle for a story.
> 
> Don't ask, I don't know why Christmas does this to me ::smiles innocently:: - and I still want to smack Dorthe, because it's her fault that every time I hear 'oh holy night' - I have this damned flashback to Eric Cartman's version ::winces:: -- There's also a line in the story that's entirely her fault.

Jack leaned against the kitchen table, watching Daniel wreak havoc in his domain.

"And you swear it'll be edible?" Jack joked, for once glad that he was not the one stuck with the cooking for their team night.

"Have I ever served inedible food for you, Jack?" Daniel asked over his shoulder, concentrating on chopping the vegetables in front of him.

"Well," drawled Jack. "There was that one time where..."

"That doesn't count," Daniel snorted. "You know very well that it was all your fault it turned out the way it did."

Jack feigned hurt, but his puppy dog look was lost since Daniel still had his back to him. Daniel was right, not that Jack would tell him that. It had involved a lot of food they had had to throw out afterwards, but damn. It sure had been a fun night.

"Did you set the table?" Daniel's question drew Jack back from some very fond memories.

"Yes, Dear. Of course, Dear." Jack rolled his eyes. He was a Colonel of the USAF, he could do as he was told. Unlike someone else he knew who was entirely too stubborn for his own good.

A soft smile spread on Jack's face. Sidling over, he rested his chin on Daniel's shoulder, looking down at the odd assortment of vegetables on the table. Half of which Jack had no idea what to call.

"Jack..." The warning wave with the knife told Jack to scamper and the tightening of muscles in Daniel's shoulder was a pretty good indicator of the same. Well, Daniel was a good cook, and with a team night he was not going to risk spoiling their dinner. The wrath from the rest of the team would be immense.

Damn, it was hard getting any respect these days.

"I can't get no respect around here," Jack sighed theatrically.

"You get the respect you deserve," Daniel chided, head slightly turned and the twitch at the corner of his mouth had Jack grinning.

Jack sniffed, trying to convey his displeasure, which was of course ignored.

"You and your wounded pride can go scurry up a good bottle of red wine to go with dinner." Daniel continued his food endeavor.

Rolling his eyes, Jack went to the basement door. As he walked down the stairs he muttered to himself. "How should I know what goes with dinner?"

"There's still one of my bottles of Merlot down there," Daniel called after him, a distinctive smile in the voice.

Jack chuckled. Right. Daniel would know and he would know that Jack knew his beer far better than he knew his wine. The wine rack (Daniel's, definitely Daniel's) yielded a slightly dusty bottle of merlot.

Pausing for a moment, Jack took a look around his basement and once again wondered if he should turn it into a den of sorts. Put a TV down here, maybe a mini bar? Deciding that he could ask for Daniel's input he made his way back up the stairs, blowing the dust off the bottle he was carrying and sneezing as the dust tickled his nose.

"Quit stealing my lines," Daniel admonished as Jack closed the basement door and went into the kitchen.

Jack sneezed again.

"What did I just say?" Daniel asked.

"Why? You've stolen mine on occasion."

Jack put the bottle on the kitchen table, eyeing the cold beer that had not been there when he had left the kitchen. Uncapped. Next to it was the corkscrew and Jack grinned as he took the items for what they were. 'Thank you' and 'please open the wine so it can breathe'.

A moment later Jack had put the opened wine aside, hopped up to perch on the edge of the table and he was deeply enjoying his beer.

"You know," Daniel said conversationally as he continued to work on the dinner. "It's a really bad habit, sitting on the kitchen table."

Jack grinned. "I've got a ton of bad habits, Daniel," he stated sweetly.

"Thank you very much, I know most of them," snorted Daniel. Shaking his head he turned a little and eyed Jack. "How long before Sam and Teal'c arrive?"

"About an hour," Jack said after checking his watch.

"Check on the roast, will you?" Daniel stirred the vegetables into a pan and shuffled a little to the side to give Jack access to the oven.

Jack knelt down to read the temperature. "It should be finished just in time for dinner," he assured Daniel.

Shuffling around each other they actually managed to finish most of the food before the doorbell rung. Jack grinned as Daniel eyed him sternly. Yeah, yeah, sure, he was the host tonight, but he had been lucky enough to catch Daniel on a good day when he had asked his friend to cook the dinner. Either that, or Daniel simply wanted to avoid Jack's cooking.

Jack pulled the front door open and ushered the two visitors inside. "Carter, T. Inside, now. It's way too cold outside."

Carter grinned as she unwrapped her scarf and stepped to the side to allow Teal'c to precede her. Jack promptly took care of the heavy winter clothing and ushered them into the living room.

"Sit," he ordered them as he went to check on the roaring fire in the fire place. "How are the roads?" he asked over his shoulder.

"It's stopped snowing," Sam said with a contented sigh as she sunk into one of the large armchairs. "It's just very, very cold outside."

"The air has a certain bite to it tonight," Teal'c agreed.

Jack grinned as he stood again. "Yeah, but I bet it's nothing compared to Chulak, am I right?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and Jack could have sworn the corner of his mouth lifted just a little bit. "Indeed, O'Neill. A strong, warm fire is a cherished thing on Chulak."

"As it should be," added Daniel who entered the living room with a trey holding four glasses of steaming Irish coffee. "I remember how cold it was."

"Well, you *are* a desert rat," Jack grinned as he took the tray and set it down on the table in front of the couch. "Grab something to warm yourselves with, kids. Gotta go check on dinner," he added as he ushered Daniel into the kitchen.

"Hey," Daniel argued, trying to sound indignant, but not succeeding much. "Stop acting as if I'm the little lady around here."

"What?" Jack grinned as he knelt by the oven again to check the roast. Pretty much done. "Are you saying I'm the lady?"

"You're many things, Jack. A lady is definitely not one of them," Daniel retorted dryly as he leaned over from the side to take the lids off the pots on the stove.

A chuckle from the doorway made both men turn, Jack still on his knees. "What's so funny, Carter?" he asked pleasantly.

"The two of you, sir." Sam shook her head and leaned against the door. "Is there anything we can do? Carry into the living room?" she asked, trying not to laugh at them.

Jack looked up at Daniel who merely shrugged and offered him a hand up. "You can take the wine," Jack admitted as he slowly stretched his stiff knees. "Leave the rest to us."

Sam took the bottle and as she left, she turned in the doorway. "It's just funny how you guys *seem* so married."

Daniel's laughter filled the kitchen. "Married?" He shook his head. "You don't think I can do better than him?"

Jack gave him a hurt look, only partly feigned. And he prayed that the heat rising to his face could be explained by the heat of the oven. To Daniel and Carter it was a joke -- to Jack it was... something he deep down wanted but knew he would never have. Well, maybe not the married part, but Jack would enjoy his life a lot more if he ever shared his wishes with the other man.

Oh, and of course if Daniel was interested...

Which again brought him back to wanting what he should not.

Carter wisely kept from commenting, but her laughter trailed after her as she went back to the living room.

Daniel nudged his shoulder. "I was just kidding, Jack." His voice was low and warm.

"I know," Jack admitted. He put up a sincere smile and met Daniel's eyes.

"I could... um," Daniel mumbled, looking down, a slight flush coloring his cheeks. Jack leaned in a little closer to catch every word. "I could do a lot worse..." His sentence was broken off as the pot with vegetables nearly boiled over.

They moved quickly, but where they had worked as a well oiled machine moments before, Jack constantly felt that they got in each other's way. Daniel laughed and took hold of his shoulder to stop him and gave him a tray laden with most of the dinner.

"Put it on the table, I'll bring the roast," he said softly.

For a moment Jack allowed himself to enjoy the warmth in Daniel's expression, then he remembered that they were not alone and that the rest of the team was waiting for dinner.

As he turned and went back into the living room, Jack wondered if he was imagining things or if maybe Daniel wasn't as oblivious as he had thought. Jack shook his head. No, it was just the way they were around each other. They had had their ups and downs over the years, but come to think of it. That was pretty much standard procedure for married couples.

Damn, the only thing they really did not have the benefit of, was sex.

"Mmm, smells divine."

Carter's voice behind him nearly gave Jack a heart attack. Damn, he really should learn to keep his more x-rated thoughts to his private moments with his right hand.

"Yeah, um. Sit, both of you." Jack regained his calm and he was sure that neither of the team members had noticed anything, even if Teal'c's eyebrow seemed to do a different dance for a moment and the dark eyes glittered with something akin to mirth.

With Teal'c? Who could really tell?

Once they were all seated at the table, everything seemed to right itself again. At least until Daniel decided to hit Jack with the proverbial 2x4.

The conversation was light, easy and Jack realized how much he loved these moments. No Goa'ulds, no NID, no global threat. Just... Jack paused with his fork halfway to the mouth.

A stocking clad foot slid up against his leg, caressing his shin and calf. Jack never even considered Carter who was still deep in conversation with Daniel about some strange new find on PX-something.

"Are you okay, O'Neill?" Teal'c's deep voice drew him back and Jack swallowed hard.

"Ye-ah. Why do you ask?" Jack gave the Jaffa his most innocent expression.

Teal'c tilted his head a little to the side. "You looked uncomfortable for a moment."

Jack forced himself to *not* look at Daniel on the other side of the table. Of all times to choose from, he had to make a move *now*? There was no doubt whose foot it was. Maybe he had been aiming for Teal'c or Sam? "I'm fine, T. Don't worry."

Finally giving in, Jack turned his head and looked at Daniel, trying to smile pleasantly.

"So, I take it you're both enthusiastic about the next mission?" Jack asked conversationally as he slipped a hand down into his lap where he managed to intercept the foot before it hit ground zero and caused more than just the small electric surges that were playing havoc with Jack's libido.

"Oh, absolutely," Sam agreed. "It is a fascinating planet."

Jack slid a thumb up between sock and pant leg, finding the bare skin. Fine hairs caught at his callused thumb and Jack's smiled widened a little as he watched Daniel's eyes widen a little.

Two could play this game, even if... If Jack actually allowed himself to think about it, doing this in front of his military team was sheer stupidity.

No one ever claimed that Mama O'Neill's boy was too intelligent when it came to attraction.

Still, Jack swallowed a little harder and with a last apologetic caress to the leg, he pushed the foot down again. He gave Daniel a small smile trying to let him know that he was not rejecting the advance, just... This was *so* not the time for it.

Daniel licked his lips then turned his full attention back to Sam.

Jack wondered if he should slip into the bathroom and pour some cold water into his lap.

Thankfully, Daniel behaved for the rest of the dinner and Jack wondered if he had read more into Daniel's little impromptu footsie than Daniel had actually put in it.

Maybe it had just been a joke?

By the time the food was gone from the dishes, Jack could actually get up off the chair and join them for a more comfortable seating on the couch and in the arm chairs without embarrassing himself.

Carter sunk into one large arm chair and Teal'c into the other and by the time Jack had retrieved the stash of refreshment from the kitchen, the only free seat for him was on the couch. A piece of furniture capable of holding three to four people, but was currently only inhabited by one sprawling linguist.

Jack raised an eyebrow as he set the beer and soft drinks on the table. With a grin he unceremoniously pushed Daniel's feet down off the couch and sat down.

"Pushy," Daniel grumbled, but the blue eyes sparkled.

"Daniel," Jack whined. "The couch should be big enough for the both of us." Cringing he realized how *that* had sounded.

Thankfully the only thing it brought him was a few raised eyebrows and then they were back to safer topics. Daniel glared at him and Jack answered him with a sweet smile of his own. One that only elicited a scowl from Daniel.

Teal'c and Carter refrained from commenting on his and Daniel's behavior and Jack realized that they were probably so used to it that it did not even register anymore.

Darkness had long since fallen and outside the moon lent a strange bluish light to the white layer of snow. Their conversations had wound to companionable near-silence and Jack realized just how much he had come to rely on this makeshift family of theirs. He listened with a soft smile as Daniel and his 2iC discussed some topic that had long since passed a level where Jack could keep up with it.

They had been talking about the coming holidays and had decided that since New Year's eve would be spent at the Mountain, they would have a quiet little Christmas get-together one of the days between Christmas and New Year.

Jack really liked that idea. It made him feel whole again, sort of coming full curcle.

Turning his head, he caught the contented lift at the corner of Teal'c's mouth and Jack understood that they were a family -- dysfunctional at times, but to the Jaffa they were it on Earth.

To Jack as well.

"Is everything alright, O'Neill?" Teal'c's deep voice was low and warm.

"Everything is a-ok," Jack grinned. "Just enjoying the company."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed easily.

"You guys wanna stay for the night?" Jack realized that at least Carter had had too much to drink if she were to drive home.

Teal'c cocked his head to the side. "Major Carter offered me her guestroom in exchange for me driving on the way home."

Jack nodded. "Ah, it'd be a tight fit but you're more than welcome to stay."

"That's okay, sir." Carter broke in. "I prefer my own bed to the couch," she admitted with a smile.

"hey, I've got a guestroom."

"Which Daniel Jackson is occupying," Teal'c rumbled, dark eyes glittering with mirth.

"My home away from home," Daniel admitted and nudged Jack's thigh with his toes. "Seriously, guys. We can rearrange the sleeping arrangements," Daniel offered.

"We put T on the couch, Carter in the guest room and where are you sleeping?" Jack asked snarkily, wanting to offer but knowing it would be a really bad idea.

"Your bed," Daniel said with a snort.

"I sleep there," Jack joked, although his body tingled with the thought of it.

"you can sleep on the floor," Daniel offered lightly.

"Hey! Is that the thanks I get for tonight?" Jack asked with a mock hurt expression on his face.

Daniel coughed, nearly inhaling his wine. "I beg your pardon? Who cooked tonight?"

Carter's laughter made Jack glare at her. "We cooked," Jack argued.

Daniel raised an eyebrow and that was his only answer.

"I helped," Jack muttered as he leaned back into the corner of the couch.

The other eyebrow joined the first. "You... helped."

"I helped," Jack grinned. "What? I'm taking the dishes."

"You've got a dishwashing machine, Jack," Daniel said dryly, trying to hide his smile behind his wine glass.

"What?!" Jack exclaimed with exaggerated exasperation. "What more do you expect me to do? Rub your feet?"

Daniel's frown disappeared and a silly, wide grin stretched across his face. "Yes please," he said and lifted his feet to dump them into Jack's lap.

For a moment the room was deadly silent, then Carter's giggles broke it and Jack caught Teal'c shaking his head with an odd look of fondness on his face.

Jack stared at the stockinged feet, wriggling in his lap.

"And I repeat: I get no respect," muttered Jack, eyeing the feet, feeling the weight of them. Who would have thought that Jack O'Neill had a thing for feet. At least as long as they were Daniel's.

Jack made no move to give Daniel the foot rubbing he was demanding, nor did Daniel try to remove his feet. And if Carter and Teal'c found the position odd, neither said anything, apart from a chuckle here and there.

A little while later, Carter yawned mid-sentence, looking more than a little surprised herself. Jack fought his own urge to react to it as well and turned his head to find Daniel asleep beside him.

"I believe it is time we went on our way," Teal'c said in a low voice to keep from waking up Daniel.

Jack made to stand, but Carter held out a hand to stop him. "We can see ourselves out, so take your time ...extracting yourself," she said with a grin.

Shaking his head, Jack watched his sleeping friend silently. He could hear Carter's giggling as Teal'c escorted her from the living room with a small smile and a nod of his head at Jack.

"Drive safely," Jack whispered loud enough for Teal'c to hear.

"We shall," Teal'c answered, just barely loud enough for Jack to catch it.

Jack watched Daniel sleep, and not for the first time he wondered how Daniel could look so much younger in sleep when he was not worrying about this or that translation.

The dark lashes created shadows under Daniel's eyes and Jack wanted nothing more than to reach out and caress the other man's face. Yet, as much as Daniel *had* been fooling around at dinner, Jack had begun to wonder if it had been a coincidence or just Daniel's strange sense of humor.

The flickering firelight painted Daniel's skin in a way that only strengthened Jack's urge to touch.

"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. What am I supposed to do with you?" Jack mumbled as he closed his eyes and rested his hands on top of Daniel's feet.

"Take me to bed," muttered Daniel sleepily.

Jack opened his eyes, startled at Daniel's bold words.

"Um... I mean..." Daniel stuttered as he blinked and looked around the room for their missing team members. He took a deep breath and made to pull his feet from Jack's lap.

Jack caught Daniel's feet and held them where they were. "They left a few minutes ago," he told Daniel calmly. He was still a little confused as to what Daniel really wanted, but that moment, when he had woken up, Jack was pretty sure his words had been unguarded and Jack wanted to believe that deep down, that was what Daniel wanted.

"Jack...?" Daniel stared at his feet under Jack's hands then he looked up into Jack's eyes.

Jack raised an eyebrow, feeling oddly calm still. "Are you blushing?" he asked curiously as he watched heat coloring Daniel's cheeks.

Daniel watched him with a slightly perplexed look, then touched two fingers to his own cheek. "Must be the heat from the fire," he muttered, looking down at his feet again.

"Did you mean it?" Jack asked, feeling more than a little breathless. What is Daniel said no?

What if he said yes?!

"Mean what?" Daniel asked, still looking a little sleepy, though Jack did wonder if it was merely an act of avoidance.

"About bed," Jack clarified for him, looking down as he saw Daniel's eyes widen. Jack realized that he was actually stroking his fingers lightly over the top of Daniel's feet. Oddly enough, it did not make him stop doing so, and Daniel seemed almost mesmerized by it.

"Jack..." Daniel began, looking more than a little worried.

"We don't have to do anything," Jack told him, realizing that it was the truth. As much as he *did* want to do some pretty messy things with Daniel, it was not what mattered the most to him. Now, a night spent with Daniel in the same bed, preferably naked or semi-naked and wrapped up in each other's arms... *That* was on top of Jack's Christmas wish list "Just sleep."

'Well, who'd have thunk? Jack O'Neill, marshmallow extraordinaire.'

The color of Daniel's cheeks darkened a little more, but he finally looked up and held Jack's gaze.

"Bedtime?" he asked lightly. "You don't want to talk this through?"

Jack grinned. "You know me, Daniel. I'm not the talkative kind."

"Could've fooled me," Daniel grinned, finally looking a little better, a little bolder.

Jack mock glared at him, but could not help but laugh. "Look, you take the bathroom first, while I lock up the house and set the fire for the night," he offered, giving Daniel's feet a squeeze.

Daniel nodded slowly, but did not say anything.

Gently, Jack set Daniel's feet down on the floor and stood, stretching to get the blood flowing again. Turning his head, Jack realized that Daniel was staring at his midriff, licking his lips. Jack looked down and smiled. 'Well, whaddaya know?' His shirt actually rode up pretty high, leaving his belly exposed.

Jack flexed his shoulders and grinned at Daniel as he walked toward the front door. "I do hope you like what you see," he said, but Daniel did not answer. Still, Jack could almost feel his eyes on his back as he walked out to lock up the house.

When he returned to the living room it was empty. Jack could hear Daniel in the bathroom and smiled lightly. Kneeling, he made sure that the fire would be okay for the night and when he finally stood and went to the bathroom, the light was off in there.

Oh well, no sharing space or groping Daniel just yet, then.

Jack made sure that his teeth were brushed and he even considered taking a quick shower. Then he grinned. This was Daniel, his friend *and* a guy. He did not have to go to extremes, even if this was their first *real* night together. Sharing tents off-world did not count in Jack's book.

With a huge smile he went and opened the door to his bedroom, to find it dark and lacking a certain linguist.

"Daniel?" he called lightly, more than a little puzzled.

Rolling his eyes, Jack turned on the bedside lamp, pulled the sheets back and went back out into the hallway. He marched down to the guestroom and threw the door open.

He was met with a slightly guilty looking Daniel, sitting on the bed.

"What are you doing, Daniel?" Jack asked bewildered.

"I... eh." Daniel shrugged. "Are you absolutely sure about this... us?" Daniel asked, his eyes pleading Jack for the right answer.

Jack threw up his hands and went to the bed, took a hold of Daniel's wrist and pulled him to his feet. Daniel was nearly as tall as he was and he looked absolutely edible wearing nothing more than a black t-shirt and a pair of blue boxers.

Grinning, Jack held Daniel's head with one hand and pressed a light kiss to those tempting lips. "Does that answer your question?" he finally asked, rubbing his thumb against Daniel's jaw.

Daniel's eyes seemed larger than ever, and there was hardly any blue left. He bit his lower lips and took a deep breath, obviously not entirely sure how to handle Jack's offer.

"Oh for cryin' out loud," Jack exclaimed. He took a better hold of Daniel's wrist and pulled him along, back toward his own bedroom.

"Jack?" Daniel sounded more than a little startled.

"Daniel," Jack said firmly. "Don't make me throw you over my shoulder like some deranged caveman," he warned.

"Your knees can't take it and Janet will have your ass for it," Daniel grinned, though not resisting Jack's pulling anymore.

"She can't have it," Jack muttered as he towed Daniel into the bedroom and pushed him down on the bed. "It's already yours," he added with a grin.

Daniel's eyes widened a little more and then he leaned back on the bed, watching Jack as he was watching Daniel.

"Are you sure you're up to this, old man?" he asked teasingly.

Jack snorted and finally moved toward the bed, never for a second taking his eyes off Daniel. "It may be snowing up here," he grinned, pointing at his hair as he put a knee on the bed and began crawling up to loom over Daniel. "But there's still fire down there," he added with a wink.

Daniel's put a hand over his mouth, but Jack could easily hear the choked laughter.

"What, you don't believe me?" he asked, grinning widely.

"That was *so* cheesy," Daniel hiccupped between bouts of laughter.

"Your loss," Jack sniffed and made to get pull back off the bed.

"No...," Daniel said quickly. Then a strange, impish light lit the blue eyes. "Why don't you show me?" he asked with a leer.

This time it was Jack's turn to gawk. "You..." he could not even put words to it. Instead he dove in and started tickling Daniel. The howls that brought out could probably be heard halfway across the state.

By the time they finally wound down, they were both gasping for air and neither were wearing anything anymore. Their bodies were so close that Jack wondered if they were fused together. He could feel every breath of air that Daniel pulled into his lungs and he could hear and feel Daniel's heart, in the chest under his head.

Fingers carded through Jack's hair and he sighed happily. Lifting his head, he turned it just in time to catch Daniel's slightly parted lips in a slow and messy kiss.

"Jack...?" Daniel's voice was thick and full of so much promise when they parted.

"Not a one nighter," Jack warned, figuring out that Daniel would have the same worries as he did. For all their differences, they were so alike in other ways. Jack preferred to think of it as if they complimented each other the best possible ways.

Most of the time, anyway.

"Not a one nighter," Daniel agreed, a soft smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

Hands roamed and Jack was amazed that neither of them seemed inclined to do anything but petting and caressing. Oh... and kissing. Kissing was good. Kissing was *very* good.

Considering that he had wanted Daniel for a long time and he wondered for how long Daniel had felt the same way... He really had expected that if it was to ever happen between the two of them, they would be eating each other alive the first night together.

He should have known that even that they would not do the logical way. Jack groaned softly as Daniel's fingers dug into his ass and he was pulled hard against Daniel. Grinding down, Jack gasped as their cocks were trapped between their bodies.

"We don't have to..." he tried.

"Want this," Daniel moaned, stretching up to shut Jack up the best possible way.

Jack let himself float, let Daniel take control and for what felt like a blissful eternity, they rocked against each other, flashes of pleasure making them utter sounds Jack would never have admitted to letting out.

He felt Daniel strain under him and a moment later warm and sticky fluid made his own movements smoother and much more fun. Raising himself up on to his hands, Jack looked down at Daniel's flushed face as he ground down against him.

"Jack..." Daniel moaned and dug his fingers hard into Jack's hip and ass.

Jack was not sure afterwards what had sparked his own release. Either the touch, the sound of need and happiness in Daniel's voice or just the fact that his body was singing with pleasure.

All that mattered was Daniel pulling him down and kissing him breathless.

Jack grinned as he let Daniel wipe them off with a discarded t-shirt and he welcomed the other man with open arms when Daniel wriggled against him to get comfortable, dragging the sheets up to cover them both.

"Mmmm," Jack mumbled, rearranging his own limps so he could touch as much of Daniel as possible. "My very own, early Christmas present."

"Does that mean I don't have to buy you one?" Daniel asked sleepily against his neck.

Jack snorted. "Hell, no," he said. "I'm just gonna add the gay kama sutra to my wish list."

Daniel stiffened for a moment, then Jack could feel the laughter reverberating through his body.

"God, I've created a monster," Daniel mock wailed.

"Hah!" Jack exclaimed as he held Daniel closer. "Now that I have you I'm not ever letting go."

"Promise?" Daniel asked with a soft sigh.

"Promise."

  


* * *

Merry Christmas everyone, even if you don't get your very own Daniel or Jack for the holidays.  
^_~ -- Xim

**Author's Note:**

> Explanation for title:  
> To marry = Nautical. To join (two ropes) end to end by interweaving their strands.


End file.
